Shoe-turning machine



E. l. LA CHAPELLE.

SHOE TURNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1919.

- I l'/' L EUCLID I. Ll-l. CHAPELLE, OIE' BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

snor-TURNING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed March S, 1919. Serial No. 281,564.

To all wwmz't may concern: 1

Be it known that I, EUCLID I.' LA CHA- PELLE, a citizen yof the. United States, and residentof Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

have invented an Improvement in Shoe-` Turning Machines, of which the following description, in connection'with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to an invention or improvement in machines for turning shoes of the type termed, turn shoes.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine that will enable the operator to manipulate the shoe in the machine during the ,shoe forepart turning operation, in a manner corresponding substantially to the one employed when shoes are turned entirely byvhand at the forepart, and, it is also the object of my invention to provide a compact machine, of simple construction, which may be easily operated and which may be built at low cost and by which, both the heel part and the forepart of the shoe may be turned.

This invention relates more particularly to shoe turning machines which are power actuated. Prior to my invention power actuated mechanisms have been produced for performing the operation of-turning both, the heel part and theforepart of a shoe, but,'so far as I am aware, such mechanisms for turning'the forepart of the shoe have not gone into vpractical use, particularly because of the liability of damage which is liable to be caused thereto. That is, in turning the forepart, great care must be taken to prevent undue strain upon the upper and when the action is positive, as it is with power actuated machines, such undue strain is vpractically certain to be placed on the toe-end of the shoe in enough instances to render the use of such machines impractical. Moreover, if the forepart turning mechanism has a stroke of definite lengthand, as the shoes tobe turned must necessarily vary in size, corresponding readjustments are frequently necessary, or, if the length of the movement is dependent on a clutch mechanism, it has been found difficult to control the actuation with sufficient quickness to avoid frequent damage, one

of the chief diiiiculties being to prevent the turning iron from being forced into the toe-end of the shoe too far, so as to punch out the toe-end to an extent sufcient to cause serious damage. As a matter of fact, unless this portion of the turning operation is performed with eXtreme care, serious damage is likely to be caused.

Prior to my invention shoe turning machines, embodying heel part turning means and forepart means have been produced for performing the operation of turning both, the heel part and the forepart of a shoe, but, so far as I am aware, no shoe turning machine has been produced in which the heel part turning means and the forepart turning means have been combined and arranged, as in this present machine, whereby the heel part may be engaged and turned by a cup and thereafter may be disengaged therefrom preparatory to and during the time that the forepart is being turned by its respective means, so as to permit the operator to manipulate the shoe in the machine Ain a manner similar to that practised by hand turners. This novel combination of old elements brings about new, beneficial results never attained before. The heel turning cup, is a well known means in the art and is generally considered to be the best means adapted to that purpose and is therefore employed in the machine shown herein.

Power actuated shoe turning machines have, so far as I am aware, and aside from the foot power actuated machines, been entirely clutch controlled, but I am not aware that a device of this character has been produced which may be practically employed for this purpose and which is continuously actuated.

The objects of my invention are to produce a power actuated machine, embodying a heel turning cup, for turning shoes, in which the danger of injury being caused to the shoe forepart from the turning operation is practically eliminated by the shoe forepart turning operation being under constant and instant control of the operator, so that over-strain of the shoe, may be prevented at all times, without arresting the movement of the machine, and, to provide a power actuated machine, embodying a heel turning cup, which may be continuously actuated at a speed which will enable the operator to perform the turning operation on an indefinite number of shoes of diiferent sizes, without-stopping the machine. A further object is to provide a shoe turning machine, embodying a heel turning cup, in which. the forepart turning operation maybe partly performed b y power actuated means and finished by hand in the machine. Another object is to provide a machine in which the heel turning cup and the forepart turning means are so combined and arranged that, the heel part and the forepart turning operations may be successively performed without changing the position of the slice but slightly, thereby enabling the complete turning operation to be rapidly and satisfactorily performed. Still another object is to provide a machine in which the turning means, including a heel turning cup, are so combined and arranged that the shoe may be manipulated in a manner similar to that practised by hand turners.

lt is a novel feature in shoe turning machines to combine and arrange a heel turning cup and a forepart turning means to accomplish the diverse objects enumerated and the appended claims accordingly drawn to this novel feature.

I accomplish these objects in the manner hereinafter disclosed and by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Y

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and front elevations of a shoe turning machine embodying my invention. Y

Figs. 3 to 6 are detailed views illustrating the different steps in the turning,- operation.

rlhe complete machine, which is a preferred embodiment of my invention, is illustratcd in Figs. l and 2 and comprises a base l0 having an upright support lf2 mounted thereon and also a bearing ld in which the main shaft 16 is oin'naled, said suaft having` a driving pulley 18 on one endl and a pinion Q0 on the opposite end, tue latter being` arranged in mesh with a large gear 22, mount-- ed on. a shaft 242:, also journaled in a bearing on the base. The upright support l2 is provided with vertical guideways in which a cross head 28 is mounted to slide, and a connecting rod or link 30 is pivoted to said cross head at one end and eccentrically connected to said gear 29 at the other end, so that as the gear is rotated said cross head will be reciprocated.

A round rod 32 (which l hereafter term a turning iron, as it corresponds in shape and function to the ordinary turning iron, or stick, generally employed in. handlturning), is fixed. onthe upper end of the support lf2, in vertical position. `:aid rod being provided with! the usual fr`ction roll Serin its upper end, and a tubular cylindrical sleeve or plunger 3G is slidably mounted on said rod and is connected by a rod 38 to the cross head 28, so that said plunger will be caused to reciprocateonthe rod 32 when the main shaft is driven. The upper end portion of said plunger is tapered or beveled at its front side forming a beveled face t0 and is provided with a projection 42 at its rear side, the under side of said projection being corrugated, or provided with teeth. A bracket $1- is rigidly secured to the rear side of the support 12 and is extended upward and then downward in .Gooseneck form, the depending end thereof being provided with a heel part turning cup 46 of common form, said cup being interchangeable to adapt the machine for shoes of di'erent types, and is held in inverted position directly over the plunger 86, so that, when the latter is lifted, it will be passed into said cup adjacent its walls.

rllhe above described machine is primarily designed to be actuated continuously, at a suitable speed, and, when driven, the plunger 86 is reciproca-ted between the initial position, shown in Fig. l, in which its lower end is in close proximity to the support l2 and its upper end is adjacent the middle portion of the rod, or iron 32, and a position in which its upper end is in close proximity to the bottom of the cup 46.

rlhe forepart turning means may be employed alone, minus the heel turning cup, andr it is novel to provide forepart turning means, such herein shown, with or without heel turning means, although l, preferably, employ a heel turning cup with the forepart turning means.

Under normal conditions and in the general run of a shoe factory, the operation is as follows:

"While the plunger 36 is being moved up, the operator places the heel portion of the shoe on the cup 46, with his left hand, within the shoe forepart, so that the rear part edge of the latter engages the upper of the shoe close to the seam which connects the upper and the sole. The upper end of the plunger 36 is shaped to correspond to the interior surface of the cup, and as it moves upward, engages the sole-seam of the shoe and forces it inward, or breaks it, as commonly termed, and, during the latter portion of its upward movement, it will engage the sole of the shoe within the points engaged by the cup, as indicated in Fig. 3, whereby the continued upward movement of the plunr will cause the heel part of the shoe to be turned in the ordinary manner, as indicated in Fig. sie. rEhe plunger then descends and the operator presses the shoe downward and out of the cup with his right hand and slides it rearward on the upper end of the plunger and then bends it over the end of the pojection 42 and presses it, at its shank iso forepart of the shoe to be turned.

portion, preferably near the ball line, against the teeth thereof. Then, with his left hand still within the forepart of the shoe, he spreads the shoe upper and presses the sole against the front side of the plunger and bends it longitudinally about the rounded front surface of the plunger, the shoe then assuming the position shown in Fig. 5, The plunger is, in the meantime, descending and by this time will have been moved down until its upper end is below the level of the roll 34E, so that the sole will then be engaged by said roll. The sole is being held in engagement with the projection 42, so that, as the plunger is moved down it draws down the sole over the roll 34. At the same time the forepart of the sole is held against the plunger, by the operators hand within the forepart of the shoe, so that it will be drawn over said roll, causing the These manipulations of the shoe are substantially the same as when the forepart is turned by hand.

Vhen the operator feels that the shoe is being unduly strained. or that the pull exerted thereon is excessive, he may instantly relax the force with which the sole is being held against the plunger projection i2 to release the shoe therefrom.

In some exceptional cases, as for example, with shoes that are made of very delicate upper material, to avoid the possibility of having the turning iron pressed against the toe-end with suicient force to cause injury to the upper, it is desirable for the operator to disengage the sole from the plunger before the toe part of the shoe is completely turned, and to finish the operation in the machine on the turning iron, by hand. This may in fact be done at any time after the shoe is turned past the tip-line, so called, up to which point it is usually of advantage to the operator to have the assistance of the pulling action of the plunger. This hand operation may be linished during the latter portion of the downward movement of the plunger and during the first portion of the upward movement thereof, so that the operator will have time to place the next shoe on the heel-turning cup before the' plunger is raised into proximity thereto.

rilhe power actuated turning means, whereby the forepart may be turned, is so arranged that the operation may be retarded, for example, on shoes which require consecutive positioning of the sole upon the friction roll. lVhen the operator feels that undue strain is being` placed upon the shoe, he may then release it from the turning means for an instant and thus retard the operation while he repositions the sole of the shoe upon the friction roll toward either side of the sole, as may be necessary, and thereafter he rengages the sole with the plunger and the turning operation proceeds. The re-positioning of the sole upon the friction roll, during the time that the shoe forepart is partly turned, as herein explained, is often practised by hand turners, but no machine, embodying a heel turning cup, had been produced, prior to my invention, so far as I am aware, which permits removal of the shoe from the heel turning cup and retarding of the shoe turning operation of the forepart during the time inwhich that portion of the shoe is being turned, and, in the proximity of the toe-end, the retarding of the forepart turning operation may be advantageously practised upon many different types of shoes.

It will be apparent that. while the machine herein described is especially designed and adapted for continuous actuation, it may be provided with a well known stop mechanism, so that it will come to rest each time the plunger is moved to its lowest point. I do not, however, consider the incorporation of such means as either necessary or desirable, except in special cases, as the speed of the machine can usually be gaged to correspond to the rapidity with which the workman is able to perform his work.

I want it well understood that I do not limit myself to the use of power actuated' means, although such is vpreferably employed.

-r What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. Al shoe turning machine, having, in combination, a heel turning cup, forepart turning means and actuating means for said forepart turning means, said forepart turne ing means being so arranged that the shoe may be held in engagement therewith by the operators hand directly upon the shoe during the time of its shoe turning actuation by said actuating means so that the progression of the shoe turning operation by nsaid forepart turning means may be constantly under the immediate control of the operators hand.

2. A shoe turning machine, having, combination.

1n a heel turning cup, a forepart turning iron, a sleeve mounted on said forepart turning iron and means for moving said sleeve in one direction to cause it to cooperate with said heel turning cup and turn the heel part and for then moving said sleeve in the opposite direction to cause it to coperate with said forepart turning iron and turn the forepart of the shoe.

A shoe turning machine, having, in combination, a heel turning cup, a forepart turning iron, a slide and a sleeve connected to said slide and means for moving said slide in one direction to cause coperation of said sleeve with said heel turning cup to turn the heel part and for then moving said slide in the opposite direction to cause oooperation of said sleeve with said orepart turning iron to turn the forepart of the shoe.

4. A shoe turning machine7 having, in combination, shoe turning means and power actuating means therefor, said shoe turning means being so arranged that the operators hand may be placed directly upon the shoe. to control the duration of the shoe turning 10 operation by said shoe turning means under the influence of said power actuating means.

In testimony whereof I haveisigned my name to this specification.

EUCLID l. LA CHAPELLE. 

